Detection and control of hypertension in the population: the United States experience.

Trends in prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension in the adult US population are reported. The data are from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), carried out in four separate surveys, the last being NHANES III, 1988-1991. The age-adjusted prevalence of hypertension at > or = 160/95 mm Hg declined from 20% to 14%, and at > 140/90 mm Hg it declined from 36.3% to 20.4% in NHANES III. Hypertension awareness increased significantly to as high as 89% for those with blood pressures > or = 160/95 mm Hg. For all people with blood pressure > or = 160/95 mm Hg, nearly 64% have it controlled below that level, but only 29% have their blood pressure controlled below 140/90 mm Hg. Although the data from these surveys are encouraging, there are still too many people in the United States with uncontrolled hypertension.